Which is brightest: an AAA battery laser or a 18650 one?

hello,

A friend of mine bought a 50mW 532nm Green Laser Pointer from Focalprice that he uses with one 14500 3,6V battery and its very bright (50mW 532nm Green Laser Pointer (Black)) and I went and bought a 30nM 532 Green Laser Pointer from Dx that uses 2 AAA 1,5V batteries and the bright is not nearly as good as I was expecting, my friend told me that the voltage in his battery makes the difference, is this true?

Now I'd like to buy a 100mW Green Laser from Dx that uses one 18650 4,2V battery (SD-301 Focusable 100mW 532nm Green Laser Pen Pointer with Battery Set (1*18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme) but I don't want to be dissapointed again so I'm asking if a greater voltage cell means a brighter green laser beam? I don't want to burn stuff, I just want the brightest wider beam at night, just for fun. Any suggestion?

Thanks in advance!

w.

It´s not the voltage but the mW that make the bean brighter. The current driver used for the green modules biuld in such pointers are operating within a voltage range from 2.7V to 4.2V. So as the name says it uses a current driver but not a voltage driver. Your 30mW will of course be not as bright as a 50mW and a 100mW will be way brighter than a 30mW laser.

honeyx said:

It´s not the voltage but the mW that make the bean brighter. The current driver used for the green modules biuld in such pointers are operating within a voltage range from 2.7V to 4.2V. So as the name says it uses a current driver but not a voltage driver. Your 30mW will of course be not as bright as a 50mW and a 100mW will be way brighter than a 30mW laser.

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thanks but I thought the difference would not be so big, at the Dx forums several buyers compared 30 with 50mW and said it was not too big difference, I know Dx it's kind of a lottery with lasers but always gave me the impression that those 20mW of difference wouldn't be so critical.

if you are right then a 50mW AAA green laser would be as bright as a 18650 one, I have difficult to believe this but I'm not an expert.

someone else could verify this?

Thanks!

w.

wdc said:

thanks but I thought the difference would not be so big, at the Dx forums several buyers compared 30 with 50mW and said it was not too big difference, I know Dx it's kind of a lottery with lasers but always gave me the impression that those 20mW of difference wouldn't be so critical.

if you are right then a 50mW AAA green laser would be as bright as a 18650 one, I have difficult to believe this but I'm not an expert.

someone else could verify this?

Thanks!

w.

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I didn´t say there will be a big difference between 30mW and 50mW but between 30mW and 100mW for sure. DX sells many under and overspec units. The high powered are mostly underspec, but up to 50mW you may get either an underspec or an overspec one. And if you don´t belive a true 50mW is as bright as a true 50mW get a 1mW powered by 220V AC and compare to an 400mW that is just powered with a single 18650.

wdc said:

a 50mW AAA green laser would be as bright as a 18650 one, I have difficult to believe this but I'm not an expert.

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50mW = 50mW no matter how you power it (2xAAA, 1x18650, or plug into wall) they will look exactly the same. This is what the "50mW" means, it is a real measurement of laser power.
DX lasers can be over spec but mostly they are under spec. I would not buy a laser from DX.
If you want a true 100mW laser,
buy this one: New cute pocket Green laser 100mW /adjustable [OLCGL100] - $71.99 : Welcome to O-Like.com, Your source for laser products
or this one: Silver chrome green laser 100mW/good finish [OLSGL100] - $62.99 : Welcome to O-Like.com, Your source for laser products
They will both be 100mW and be twice as bright as your friend's 50mW.
Oh, and if you are going to get this laser, you really should have safety glasses so you don't go blind when using it indoors (because 100mW of green really is too bright to look at).

ok, thanks to you both, as a first step I've decided not to buy lasers from Dx anymore, but also can't buy from O-like because I'm from Chile and need free-shipping.

do you recommend other sites better than Dx with worldwide free shipping where I can buy just a decent 100mW or less green laser for 40 USD or less? or should I expect the same bad luck with any of the Dx clones sites?

thanks!

w.

^^^check out lazerer.they have perfect quality for cheap price, and worldwide free shipping.
and there you can order power certificate so your laser CAN'T be underspect.just over spec.

lovellaser said:

^^^check out lazerer.they have perfect quality for cheap price, and worldwide free shipping.
and there you can order power certificate so your laser CAN'T be underspect.just over spec.

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thanks, the site looks very good but this is a tough call: the cheapest 50mW at lazerer costs $37 and my friend bought his 50mW at focalprice for just $15, he was lucky to get a good one, I may get a bad one.The safety buy at lazerer will cost me $22 extra.

I'll think about it, thanks!

w.

But it´s worth the money. Belive me. Dealextreme has also free shipping and to my experience it was always very fast. But like said always underspec. At o-like you have to pay extra for shipping and it´s rather slow. Not the shipping but the time from your purchase to be send out needs the most part of it. You mostly will get an overspec unit, though some people got really underspec ones. But even if you get an onspec unit the chances are now very high it will die after a short time. This happened to me and many other people who bought their lasers at o-like within last months.

There is also DinoDirect. I purchased one last month and am still waiting for it. Have been told it might be due to the customs, but customs are no problem here in germany. So can´t tell at the moment. Will have to wait a bit longer and then start a dispute if it´s still not here.

Therefore lazerer.com comes into play. Very fast shipping. Always onspec if not overspec and you will get the quality you paid for. Each unit is always tested before shipped, so you will be sure you get a working one that is doing what it promisses.

Else you will spend more money by dealing with cheap companies till you get one you were looking for. This is not just my experience. So the extra money you are paying are worth the service and quality imo.

its better to buy one good quality product and have it for long time and enjoy it, than always dealing with cheap underspec units that have horrible beam spec and you have to buy new one every few months.

although for my first laser i didnt really care about quality and i just went with DX true 50mw which cost me 18$. but then i bought lazerer's 200mw for only 89$ and that thing is perfect.i was so glad that i bought that. everything was way better than DX. so now i regret that 18$ that i have spent on DX. altough its not much, but could have invested that money in lazerer.

thanks guys but I think I won't buy from lazerer for now and I will explain why:

basically I want the laser just to brag in front of my friends, I was amazed by my friend's laser and want to do the same to my own friends. chances are that I won't be using the laser often and even won't use it at all after a while, that's why buying an expensive laser is not worth for me.

I'll take my chances and buy a 200mW $32,71 USD from focalprice: 200mw 800m Green Laser Pointer with Lock (Black) even if it is just 100mW it's cheap and will suit my needs, also I like 18650 cells (I think this laser uses them)

I've only buy from Dx and Manafont but Focalprice has a largest variety of 18650 lasers, that's why I'll buy there. Wish me luck!

If anybody knows a good laser from focalprice from 100mW to 200mW with a top of $40 USD please let me know so I can take a look at it, thanks.

For anybody wondering why a 200mW, I just love the way they look pointing at night sky and for that I need the wider stronger beam, that's why I'd like to have a powerful laser.

Thanks.

w.

"even if it is just 100mW"

it may be only 20mW ...

i agree with BKarim..

BKarim said:

"even if it is just 100mW"

it may be only 20mW ...

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Very, very true.

wdc said:

Wish me luck!

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OK, good luck! :beer: Your're gonna need it.

Why would you spend $32.71 and take a big gamble that it will even hit 50mW (and probably have tons of IR) instead of getting a guaranteed 50mW unit from lazerer for $37? :banghead:

Kevlar said:

Why would you spend $32.71 and take a big gamble that it will even hit 50mW (and probably have tons of IR) instead of getting a guaranteed 50mW unit from lazerer for $37? :banghead:

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because how will I feel if I buy the lazerer 50mW, compare it with my friend's one, find out they have the same bright and he paid 15 bucks while I paid 37, not so well...

You could always just tell him you paid $15 from DX or whatever....just get the better laser and you will secretly feel supreme (&be supreme).

cad602